


Drawn

by deathbyfanfictioning



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: M/M, Soft Boys, eighth year
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-22
Updated: 2018-07-28
Packaged: 2019-06-14 15:34:09
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,952
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15391908
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/deathbyfanfictioning/pseuds/deathbyfanfictioning
Summary: Harry finds himself drawn to Draco over and over again.





	1. One

Returning to Hogwarts after the war, everyone was a little bit broken. Even the first years who hadn’t been there were affected by their parent’s trepidation, the haunted look of the older students and the increased number of ghosts roaming the halls. It was doubtful that there was a single returning student who hadn’t lost someone, no matter which side they may have fought on.  
An unspoken consensus lived among the students to be kind to one another, and if that wasn’t possible there was a strict rule to not be cruel. Any violation of this was quickly and neatly dealt with by various groups of senior students who wanted the year to be as enjoyable as possible for everyone. 

Which was why the first time Harry Potter found himself speaking to Draco Malfoy after their return, he complimented him. Draco had been quiet and withdrawn since coming back to Hogwarts, his scowl and aloofness ever present even though he rarely spoke to anyone. As such, even he kept to the spirit of not antagonizing anyone. All ill feelings Harry previously had towards the blonde had died with the war.  
So when he bumped into him near the library, he used the pretence of helping Draco pick up his books to study him. His hair had grown considerably and fell gently around his ears and along his neck. Harry noticed the pursed lips, the stiff lines of his shoulders and he wanted to take that away.  
“You let your hair grow out.” He said, causing Draco to look at him sharply. “It really suits you.” For the briefest moment Harry saw a shocked vulnerability before Draco narrowed his eyes suspiciously and squared his shoulders. “What do you want, Potter?” He asked.  
Harry frowned. “Nothing, Draco.” He shrugged. “I just think you look good.”  
Draco looked at the floor and back up at Harry again with a frown. He cleared his throat and walked away. 

When Harry next saw Draco, he was curled up on a couch in front of the fire reading a book. Harry watched as the corner of his eyes softened and his mouth curled up as he tried not to grin at the scene in his book. Amazingly enough, it was a book Harry himself had read and enjoyed in the long summer before returning to school.  
Unconsciously, Harry’s expression mimicked Draco’s. Which was of course when Draco looked up and caught him staring at him with a smile. The easy almost smile slipped from his face as his expression tensed. Decisively, Harry walked over and sat next to him on the couch while Draco watched him warily. “Good choice.” He gestured towards the book with a smile. Blonde eyebrows lifted. With a chuckle Harry asked, “Are you surprised I’ve read it?”  
For a long moment Draco studied him with a conflicted expression which made him twitch uncomfortably. When Draco unfolded himself from the couch and rose elegantly to his feet, Harry’s heart dropped a little. Draco fidgeted with his book. When he spoke his voice was low. “Honestly, Potter.” His shoulder lifted in a casual shrug as the corner of his mouth curled upwards again. “I’m still just surprised that you can read.”

The next morning on his way to visit Hagrid, Harry spotted white blonde hair near the lake. Draco was sitting on the embankment idly skipping stones into the lake, occasionally dodging the stones that the Giant Squid decided to lob back. He hesitated before going over though, replaying how Draco had gotten the last word last night and still not quite sure how he was supposed to have taken Draco’s parting barb. His feet made the decision for him as he approached. Draco was wearing a pale blue shirt, almost the exact colour of the wary eyes that settled on Harry as he sat down. “Will you show me how to skip stones?” Harry asked, pointing at the tiny mound of stones next to Draco. “I never quite got the hang of it.” With a slight frown Draco looked down at the stone in his hand. He showed Harry how to hold it and flung it out towards the water. It skipped five times. Harry tried to mimic the way Draco had thrown his stone, but when his stone hit the water it lifted a little straight into the air before sinking with a defeated little plop.  
Letting out a sigh, he turned to find Draco smirking at him. After showing him a few more times, Harry managed to get up to three bounces before the stone sank. He lay down on the grass with a happy sigh. “Thanks, that was fun.” He told Draco with a smile.  
Draco was sitting curled around his bent knees as his hands meticulously tore at individual blades of grass. There was a crease between his eyebrows and his jaw kept working until he finally asked, “What do you want, Potter? Why do you keep talking to me?”  
Harry watched the faintest pink sweep across his cheeks. “Well, what I want is to just talk to you.” He shrugged.  
Draco looked up sharply. “But why?” He asked emphatically.  
His eyes stood out against his pale skin. “I don’t know yet.” Harry answered slowly, studying the blonde. He turned to look up at the sky which was a richer shade of blue, but less vibrant in his mind.  
“You should wear that shirt more often,” he heard himself saying. “Your eyes look amazing today.”  
Draco went still beside him, and it was a long moment before he felt the courage to look over. A blush stained Draco’s cheeks going all the way down his neck, his eyes were fixed on the grass he was shredding between his nimble fingers. Even though he knew he was making Draco more uncomfortable, he couldn’t look away.  
Eventually Draco glanced at him from the corner of his eye. “Creep.” He mumbled quietly. Instead of being offended, Harry burst out laughing and was pleased to see Draco’s lips curl up ever so slightly.  
Turning to face Draco he asked, “Have you finished all your homework?”  
Frowning, Draco shook his head.  
“Me neither.” Harry stood up. “Let’s go to the library and get it all done.” He held out a hand to help Draco up.  
Looking at his hand suspiciously, Draco didn’t move. “Why?” He asked eventually.  
Grinning, Harry answered. “So you can help me when I get stuck.”  
With a tilt of his head Draco looked at Harry in consideration. “In exchange for what?” He asked seriously.  
Harry regarded Draco earnestly, realising that he needed to feel like this was an exchange in order to be comfortable. “What do you want?”  
He was surprised when pale blue eyes raked him over. Smiling slyly, Draco answered. “I don’t know yet.” His slender hand slid into Harry’s.

Harry was undeniably drawn to Draco. He couldn’t catch a glimpse of white blonde hair without suddenly veering that way. Over the next few weeks he joined Draco in the library to do work, he sat with him in the Great Hall for meals and sometimes he’d even suddenly appear next to Draco on the couch when he was reading and simply sit with him for hours while he did his own reading. It would be a lie if he said he didn’t enjoy watching the wariness fade from the Slytherins eyes, the pleasure he got from watching the tension leave his posture when he saw Harry. The amount of pride he felt at having Draco Malfoy trust and like him enough to relax when he saw him was pretty hefty, even if he didn’t know whether or not Draco felt quite the same curiosity as he did.  
There was also no denying that he was attracted to Draco. But he’d learned the hard way that attraction wasn’t enough, not if you wanted something real. So he allowed himself to be drawn to Draco time and time again, waiting for the moment when he would know if he was running or falling.


	2. Chapter 2

Draco did not know what had sparked Harry’s sudden interest in him, but after weeks of wariness he realized it wasn’t a fleeting interest. They spent long hours together, engaged in spirited debates or lost in comfortable silence. When his wariness faded, fondness took its place. Draco didn’t quite know what to do with fondness. 

He couldn’t give Harry the warm confidence that Harry gave him with his incessant compliments and lingering looks. So he was patient. Watching and waiting. And when Harry told him his first ever present was a cake from Hagrid on his eleventh birthday, he smiled. 

Draco twisted his fingers nervously in his lap as he waited in the common room. It had become normal for Harry to join him on the couches in front of the fire in the evenings. They’d talk, play chess or read in silence. Draco looked forward to ending his days like this, often it was the favourite part of his day. Words had never been easy for him. Unable to tell Harry how much this ritual meant to him, he had decided to try and show him. Had he known how stressful it would be, he may have reconsidered. When Harry joined him, it was to find Draco with a fingernail between his teeth. 

Jumping up, Draco smiled weakly at him. “Hi.” He said. 

“Hey, Draco.” Harry said with a smile and a bemused expression. “Is everything okay?” He brushed the back of his fingers along Draco’s shoulder. 

“Yes, fine.” Draco waved the question off as they sat down. Harry sat down and took a book out of his bag. He moved around a bit getting comfortable and opened a book. Then he looked up at Draco who had been sitting staring at him. 

“Problem?” He asked with a small smile. 

“No.” He cleared his throat and reached into his bag. “I got you something.” He held out the wrapped gift. 

For a long moment Harry just stared at it with wide eyes. “Why?” Harry asked softly, eyes still fixed on the gift. 

Draco shrugged and Harry turned his luminous green eyes to him. “Just take it.” He gently shoved it at Harry. The reverent way Harry handled the gift told Draco he was right. When the wrapping was removed and Harry was staring down at the book with a soft smile, Draco felt his heart trip. 

“Your favourite book.” Harry said. 

“Now maybe you’ll read it.” 

With a laugh Harry turned to Draco, clutching the book to his chest. “I would have read yours if you had asked.” 

“Now you have your own. In case you like it.” Draco answered. 

“Yeah.” Harry smiled beautifully and squeezed Draco’s hand. “Thank you.”

*** 

Harry was walking through the castle with the intention of finding Ron and Hermione when a glint of white blonde hair caught his eye. Of course, he detoured. He found Draco with three first year Slytherins, apparently giving a potions tutorial. Grinning, he watched the patient way Draco guided them towards the right answer. When Draco glanced up he quickly stopped smiling, but by the narrowing of blue grey eyes Harry knew he had been too slow. 

After a few minutes Draco finished up, patting the young children on their heads as he left them and made his way to Harry. He stopped right in front of Harry and leaned against the wall. “Creep.” He said mildly. 

Harry laughed. It had been ages since Draco had called him that. “You like it.” He teased. 

With a smirk Draco looked away. Harry reached into his bag and pulled out a poorly wrapped package. Draco frowned as he looked at it. 

“This is for you.” Harry said holding it out. 

“No.” Draco said, looking up at Harry with a deepened frown. 

Uncertain now, Harry pulled the gift back slightly. “Why not? What’s wrong?” 

Crossing his arms and looking at the ground Draco shuffled his feet. With a long-suffering sigh Draco mumbled, “Giving gifts is my thing.” 

Confused now, Harry asked, “Your thing? How do you mean?” He noticed the flush starting just above Draco’s collar. 

“I mean,” Draco started softly, still not looking at Harry. “That you compliment me all the time. You always come to me first. And you compliment me all the time.” He took in a long breath. “Getting you gifts was something I could do. It was my thing. You getting me something makes this,” he gestured helplessly between them, “uneven again.” The blush was highlighting his cheeks by then and he leaned dejectedly against the wall with a sigh. 

Harry felt it then. The shifting beneath his feet right as he fell. 

“Draco.” He said softly, placing the gift in his hands. “We aren’t keeping score.” He folded Draco’s hands around the lumpy package. “We never were.”

He squeezed Draco’s hands before letting go and walking away.


	3. Chapter 3

The next night Harry was walking towards the Great Lake with warring anticipation and trepidation. He had received a very formal letter from Draco asking him to meet. They hadn’t spoken since Harry had given him the gift the day before, even though Harry could think of little else.   
He had been so relieved to find the letter from Draco on his bed.   
He couldn’t help being nervous though. Since they weren’t really boyfriends, he knew that Draco couldn’t be breaking up with him. But the fear of maybe having pushed too far and Draco telling him he didn’t want to be friends anymore was just as frightening.   
In the distance, he could see Draco pacing furiously. Both hands were tangled in his hair and he was talking to himself. Harry’s heart started pounding.   
“Draco?” he called out when he was close enough.   
Turning towards Harry, Draco marched over. Unsure, Harry stopped.   
“We were never keeping score?” Draco asked incredulously. “How did you even manage to say that with a straight face? All we did from the moment we met was try to one up one another and that never stopped.” His usual composure was gone with his hair in disarray and his hands fluttering about as he spoke. “So fine.” He threw his hands up in the air. “You want to start buying me gifts?” he pointed a finger at Harry, who had stopped being worried and was starting to allow hope to fill his veins. “Fine.” Draco said again on an exhale. He cleared his throat and looked up at the sky. “You are the kindest person I have ever met and every day you make me want to do better.” His voice wavered. “It’s not even like you’re trying to do nice things, you’re just so inherently good that you do it absentmindedly and then carry on with your day like nothing happened.” His laugh was slightly hysterical and Harry blinked at Draco, warmth flooding him. Shaking his head as if to get back on track, Draco continued. “I have never been this close to anyone.” He swallowed. “I have never felt so comfortable with anyone in my entire life. It was never like this with my Slytherin friends. It was all pretences and moves and never just about being together like we do.” Harry’s heart sank a bit. Friends? Draco shoved a hand through his hair. Briefly covering his eyes he mumbled, “Shit this is hard.” Shaking his shoulders he took a step closer to Harry, stood up straight and looked him directly in the eye. With his flushed cheeks and the intense look in his eyes he looked like every fantasy Harry had ever had.   
After licking his lips he continued in a softer voice, “You are so incredibly beautiful that it’s distracting. Who has eyes that green?” He shook his head again. Harry tried his very best to fight off the ecstatic laugh that was fighting to break out. Draco narrowed his eyes at the dopey grin on Harry’s face but he didn’t let it stop him. “So there. You made first contact and started complimenting me. I bought you gifts. You started buying me gifts and now I’ve started complimenting you.” He crossed his arms and raised his chin. When Harry just stood there grinning at him he rolled his eyes. “Well? Aren’t you going to say anything?” he demanded.   
Finally the delighted laugh escaped Harry. “Am I actually allowed to talk now?” he teased. “I wasn’t quite sure you were done and I definitely didn’t want to interrupt that.”  
“Yes, you can talk now.” Draco said with a glare.   
Still smiling Harry asked, “Okay. So we’re even. Now what?”  
With that sly grin that Harry had dreamed about, Draco stepped closer and placed a hand on his chest. “Well actually, since you made first contact you’re still one up.” He pushed against Harry’s chest until he had Harry backed up against a tree. When he spoke again his breath was warm on Harry’s lips. “And I can’t let that stand, now can I?” And then they were kissing, hands hungrily reaching for each other in a blissful moment they had both been waiting for. Just as suddenly their breath was mingling in laughter as they pressed their foreheads together. Harry cupped Draco’s cheeks and pecked him on the lips. Grey eyes shone up at him and Draco was smiling shyly. With absolute certainty Harry opened his mouth to speak.   
Panic flooded Draco’s features and he moved quickly, slapping a hand over Harry’s mouth. With a devastating smirk he leaned in and asked in a low voice, “Will you officially be my boyfriend?”  
Harry groaned but he was smiling when Draco moved his hand.   
He kissed Draco again. “Of course.”


End file.
